CAO points and the Recession, link?

Michaelrsh

I was looking over careersportal.ie recently trying to find back-up courses for my CAO application. On the right hand side of a particular course description on the website there is usually a history given of the points for that course in the past, for example from 1999 to 2008, depending on the age of the course itself of course. Then suddenly I wondered, is there a relationship between CAO points and the economic circumstances of the country. Is it possible that because of the recession at the moment the demand for certain courses might drop (and thus the CAO points for that course would drop too) when people see the lack of employment in the particular sector the course deals with.

Lets take construction, for example, as far as I know there has been a massive drop in employment in this sector. Well, what type of courses in university might deal with construction, maybe architecture or engineering. Leaving cert students might consider trying another course instead because of the lack of employment in that sector. This means lack of demand and as a result of the way the CAO works, the CAO points might drop.

Well what does this all has to do with CAO points records on careerportal.ie. We might be able to observe from this if there is a direct relationship between CAO points and economic circumstances in the past. Let's take the common entry into engineering in Trinity as an example (TR032). The CAO points are given for this course on the website between 1997 and 2008. The highest points in that eleven year period were between 2003 and 2005. As far as I know this was the height of the construction boom. The demand was high therefore the CAO points were high because people could avail of jobs easier. Again public perception is key here.

It is because of this that I would like to pose the question. Might the economic circumstances in Ireland at the moment affect CAO points depending on a particular course. Might they go up or down? Might they stay the same, or will there be a shift in the CAO points for third level courses across the board??

AMixedBag

Michaelrsh wrote: »

I was looking over careersportal.ie recently trying to find back-up courses for my CAO application. On the right hand side of a particular course description on the website there is usually a history given of the points for that course in the past, for example from 1999 to 2008, depending on the age of the course itself of course. Then suddenly I wondered, is there a relationship between CAO points and the economic circumstances of the country. Is it possible that because of the recession at the moment the demand for certain courses might drop (and thus the CAO points for that course would drop too) when people see the lack of employment in the particular sector the course deals with.

Lets take construction, for example, as far as I know there has been a massive drop in employment in this sector. Well, what type of courses in university might deal with construction, maybe architecture or engineering. Leaving cert students might consider trying another course instead because of the lack of employment in that sector. This means lack of demand and as a result of the way the CAO works, the CAO points might drop.

Well what does this all has to do with CAO points records on careerportal.ie. We might be able to observe from this if there is a direct relationship between CAO points and economic circumstances in the past. Let's take the common entry into engineering in Trinity as an example (TR032). The CAO points are given for this course on the website between 1997 and 2008. The highest points in that eleven year period were between 2003 and 2005. As far as I know this was the height of the construction boom. The demand was high therefore the CAO points were high because people could avail of jobs easier. Again public perception is key here.

It is because of this that I would like to pose the question. Might the economic circumstances in Ireland at the moment affect CAO points depending on a particular course. Might they go up or down? Might they stay the same, or will there be a shift in the CAO points for third level courses across the board??

I don't mean to be sarcastic or anything but... what do you think?:cool:

Max Power1

to be fair, theres not many jobs going in any disciplines at the moment - so it shouldnt affect people. Not to say it wont though..

errlloyd

47% drop in people taking architecture. Banter.

40000% increase in people taking economics.

0% change in people taking Geology

Prowetod

I hope so :P

mink_man

rubbish thread!

star-pants

mink_man wrote: »

rubbish thread!

Then don't respond

AMixedBag

mink_man wrote: »

rubbish thread!

I have never met a more positive fellow in my entire life..

Secoundrow

hey
I know of one course that took a big fall in points last year
computer & electronic systems in GMIT
was 400 in 07 but in 08 fell to 145 because they couldnt fill the course:D

christina_x

i think nursing points will be higher because there is less places and a higher demand (govt job n alla that)

devereaux17

what about jam making????

pathway33

devereaux17 wrote: »

what about jam making????

jam making always goes up in a recession

devereaux17

are you sure? i would have thought the factory would be relocated to somewhere in slovakia :P